Salt Lake County's planning and development chief has resigned a little more than a year after the county hired him at a hefty salary.
Although the reasons for his departure remain unclear, the county confirmed Wednesday that Simon Ginn, director of the Planning and Development Services Division, has quit after weeks of paid administrative leave and a sexual harassment claim that officials declined to detail.
Ginn shepherded, among other things, negotiations with Kennecott over a massive west-bench development plan that later was abandoned.
He will remain on paid leave until Feb. 28 -- a resignation agreement that will cost taxpayers close to $20,000 based on Ginn's $118,000 annual salary.
Because of that pact, Ginn made no comments Wednesday from the entryway of his now-empty Herriman home. He stated simply that he "voluntarily resigned."
"I'm afraid I will have to decline an interview," Ginn said.
Ginn's exodus comes as a stunning turnaround for a county that devoted considerable resources to bringing Ginn and his family to the United States in late 2007. He was provided a six-figure annual salary (compared with his predecessor's $89,500), four weeks of paid vacation and nearly $5,000 in legal fees to help him acquire citizenship after moving from Canada, according to information obtained through an open-records request. The county also paid $342 toward his Australian engineering license.
"I am thrilled we have a green light," wrote Public Works Director Linda Hamilton to Ginn shortly before his hire. Then, responding to his request for time off between Christmas and New Year's Day just one month after his scheduled arrival, she added, "It is fairly unusual to grant administrative leave to a new employee, but I am willing to do it because I am confident you will make a great contribution to the county."
Within months, Ginn's negotiations with Kennecott ended unsuccessfully. In February, the copper giant backed away from a building plan that would have speckled the Oquirrh Mountains with as many as 200,000 homes. The reasons were several: Mineral prices had shot up (extending the mine's life), and Kennecott and the county had reached an impasse about how to best manage west-bench development.
In October, The Salt Lake Tribune learned that two complaints were filed against the director before he was placed on leave. The county denied access to those documents last month, saying their release could "reasonably interfere with any investigation, disciplinary or enforcement proceedings or trials that may be conducted."
However, Chief Administrative Officer Doug Willmore confirmed Wednesday that a sexual harassment claim was lodged, and investigated, against Ginn. He declined to speak to the outcome of that probe or its influence on Ginn's departure.
The division's reorganization may not be finished. Officials acknowledged that another prominent planning official also has been placed on paid leave. It's symptomatic, Willmore said, of a more pervasive problem within the agency.
"It speaks to the management and culture of an organization," he said, "that led us to really digging into everything."
Within two months, the Mayor's Office intends to announce reforms within the agency.
County Councilman Michael Jensen -- whose west-side district includes townships such as Magna and Kearns that rely heavily on the planning and development division for code enforcement, long-term planning and zoning issues -- described the agency as "vital" to day-to-day governance and said the time has come to "look at what we can do to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of this organization."
Remarked Jensen: "We need to make sure it is functioning properly."
